Nominees were made based on the top picks of 35 media outlets that covered E3. All of the participating media outlets were then invited to vote on the top winner in each category. Besides BioShock Infinite, other multiple winners include The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Battlefield 3, and Sound Shapes.

In honor of BioShock Infinite‘s win, I present you with a full gallery of screenshots from the game, at the bottom of this article. It’s a good list, but I’m surprised to see several big names shut out, like Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Tomb Raider, Mass Effect 3. They can’t all be winners, I guess.

One of the most telling winners was the PS Vita in the “Best Hardware” category, which was up against Nintendo’s Wii U as the other major nominee. If the PSP and the Wii had been shown off for the first time at the same E3, there’s no doubt that the Wii would have won. The fact that Sony was able to overtake Nintendo among the minds of media personnel says a lot about how much faith said media have in Nintendo’s chances of generating another Wii-sized success.

Here’s the complete list:

Best of Show: BioShock Infinite

Best Original Game: BioShock Infinite

Best Console Game: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Best Handheld Game: Sound Shapes

Best PC Game: BioShock Infinite

Best Hardware: PlayStation Vita

Best Action Game: Battlefield 3

Best Action/Adventure Game: BioShock Infinite

Best Role Playing Game: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Best Fighting Game: Street Fighter X Tekken

Best Racing Game: Forza 4

Best Sports Game: FIFA Soccer 12

Best Strategy Game: From Dust

Best Social/Casual Game: Sound Shapes

Best Motion Simulation Game: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Best Online Multiplayer: Battlefield 3

Best Downloadable Game: Bastion

Another year, another E3 now just a memory. It was an exciting year with major new hardware reveals and lots of big-name game titles shown off. We really seem to be arriving at a new golden age for video games, when new ideas and increasingly better equipment are making it possible for developers to keep dreaming up stuff that players have never seen before.

So which titles at E3 got top marks from critics?

The picks of 35 media outlets were compiled to create this year’s list of the Game Critics Awards nominees. Of the hundreds of games shown off at E3, these are the titles that got the most love from critics, broken down into seventeen categories. Winners in each category will be revealed on June 28th.

By my count, the top nominees are BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, both with four nods each. Placing just behind them, with three nominations each: Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Tomb Raider, and PS Vita title Sound Shapes.

Perhaps more telling are the omissions. While critics seemed to agree that Modern Warfare 3 looks “good,” it’s more-of-the-sameness couldn’t overcome the headlines that Battlefield 3 generated. MW3 only grabbed 2 nods to Battlefield‘s 3. And the Assassin’s Creed series is usually a lock for a Game-of-Show nomination, but this year it was edged out by loads of more attention-grabbing titles; AC Revelations had to settle for a single nomination, under “Best Action/Adventure Game.”

Other big contenders that will surely light up the sales charts, like Mass Effect 3 and Gears of War 3, were also pushed ou tof Game-of-Show territory, with just two nods each. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword managed only one nomination, while heavyweights like Forza Motorsport 4 and Prey 2 eked out a nod. Others that generated chatter at E3, Driver: San Francisco, Hitman Absolution, Rise of Nightmares, and many others, are nowhere to be found.

And the nominees are…

Best of Show

• Batman: Arkham City
• BioShock Infinite
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• Tomb Raider
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Best Original Game

• Bastion
• BioShock Infinite
• From Dust
• Journey
• Sound Shapes

Best Console Game

• Batman: Arkham City
• Mass Effect 3
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• Tomb Raider
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Best Handheld/Mobile Game

• Contre Jour
• Mario Kart 3DS
• Sound Shapes
• Super Mario 3DS
• Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Best PC Game

• Battlefield 3
• BioShock Infinite
• End of Nations
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
• Torchlight 2

Best Hardware

• PlayStation Vita
• Rocksmith
• Sony 3D Display
• Wii U
• Zoom for Kinect

Best Action Game

• Battlefield 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Gears of War 3
• Prey 2
• Rage

Best Action/Adventure Game

• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
• Batman: Arkham City
• BioShock infinite
• Tomb Raider
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Best Role Playing Game

• Dark Souls
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
• Mass Effect 3
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Best Racing Game

• Driver: San Francisco
• Forza 4
• Mario Kart
• Need for Speed: The Run
• Wipeout 2048

Best Fighting Game

• Skullgirls
• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition
• Street Fighter X Tekken
• Soul Calibur V
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2
• WWE 12

Best Sports Game

• FIFA Soccer 12
• Madden NFL 12
• NBA 2K12
• SSX
• UFC Undisputed 3

Best Strategy Game

• Age of Empires Online
• End of Nations
• From Dust
• Skulls of the Shogun
• Trenched

Best Social/Casual Game

• Dance Central 2
• Disneyland Adventures
• Rocksmith
• Rhythm Heaven
• Sound Shapes

Best Motion Simulation Game

• Dance Central 2
• Fruit Ninja Kinect
• Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster
• The Gunstringer
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Best Online Multiplayer Game

• Battlefield 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Gears of War 3
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Best Downloadable Game

• Bastion
• From Dust
• Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
• Journey
• Papo & Yo

We all know that T3 is one of the most popular gadget and technology sites today; and while you may not be a T3 fan (to be honest, I am not that much of a fan), it would be cool to participate in their awards. The chance to win prizes is even cooler!

Anyhow, some of the categories for the awards are:

-Camera of the Year
-Commuter Gadget
-Computer of the Year
-Drop Dead Gorgeous Gadget
-Gadget of the Year
-Gadget You Can’t Live Without
-Game of the Year
-Green Gadget of the Year
-Home Gadget of the Year

There are several more categories. Browsing the categories, I couldn’t help but think that I would have a hard time choosing one gadget for each. They do present the contenders for each category, though, so you have an idea of what to vote for in case you are overwhelmed by the number of gadgets that you have or want.

Well, what are you waiting for? Head on over to the T3 Gadget Awards 2009 page and cast your votes!

Cell Phones.org is hosting a blogger appreciation contest and the winner will have her/his phone bill covered for one year.
The contest will reward three bloggers:

First Prize: a full year’s worth of your cell phone bill (up to $1000)
Second Prize: free cell phone (does not include plan)
Third Prize: $100 gift certificate to use at Cell Phones .org

All you have to do is nominate your blog before the end of the month. Voting will take place in March.
There are no regional restrictions, you don’t have to live in the US to win. :)